Chargers are regular season champs

WELDON — Two would enter, only one would leave. That was the buildup to Tuesday night’s midget league contest between Weldon and Roanoke Rapids at Joseph Cotton Stadium. With the regular season championship on the line, both teams came into the contest undefeated and the winner would come away with the top seed in the upcoming playoffs. Well round one goes to the Chargers. Weldon jumped out to a 30-0 lead and never looked back, defeating the Yellow Jackets, 30-16.

“The guys worked hard,” Weldon Head coach Mike Peebles said. “We didn’t do good last year so the guys from last year wanted to come back and worked hard in the off season.”

Weldon quarterback Kevin Arrington scored four touchdowns and the Chargers’ defense held the Roanoke Rapids backfield duo of Mel’Quan Ames and D.J. Jones in check. Jones scored two short runs in the fourth quarter for the Yellow Jackets, but it was too little too late. The Chargers set the tone with some hard hits on the opening kickoff and forced Roanoke Rapids to turn the ball over on downs. From there Weldon went to work on the ground and the trio of Arrington, Koraan Clemonts and Jamall McGee churned out chunks on yards on the ground, moving the ball inside the redzone. From there Arrington scored his first rushing touchdown from one-yard out to give Weldon an early, 8-0, lead after the McGee conversion run.

A big hit on Ames by Khalil Jenkins set the tone for the Weldon defense on the ensuing possession and for the second time on as many drives, Ronaoke Rapids turned the ball over on downs. Weldon again went to it’s three headed monster and Arrington found the endzone again from one-yard away. The Chargers led, 14-0, at the break and got good field position to start the second half when they recovered an onside kick attempt by the Yellow Jackets. Arrington wasted no time driving the Chargers down the field, scoring from 10-yards out. Vinlente Barnes added the conversion and Weldon was ahead 22-0. On Weldon’s first possession of the fourth quarter, Arrington hit Clemonts for a 25-yard score. Barnes added the conversion for the final Chargers’ score.

“We got a big game from Kevin Arrington,” Peebles said. “Khalil, Jamall, Koraan they all showed up tonight. Marquis Ellis and Montrell Squire were bringing the heat off the end ... the boys did good. I’m just proud of the (team).”

With the victory Weldon claims the regular season title with a perfect record and the all so important top seed in the Halifax-Northampton Midget League playoffs.